“Tri-Cities Tie-Em-Up Bandits” Both Caught After Pasco Robbery

The "Tri-Cities Tie-Em-Up Bandits" thought they could outsmart police, but are now behind bars after being captured by Benton County Sheriff's deputies.

Both Suspects Arrested in Armed Robbery at North Prosser Market

The Benton County Sheriff's Department found and arrested two suspects involved in an armed robbery at the North Prosser Market on February 21, 2025. The masked men entered the store around 9 am and threatened employees with guns, according to eye witness accounts. The robbers tied up two employees and then stole an undisclosed amount of money before driving away in a white SUV. The suspects covered the vehicle’s license plates during their getaway, trying to hide their identities.

Benton County Sheriff's Major Crime Detectives quickly launched an investigation by first trying to identify the vehicle used in the robbery, one of the only clues to the case. They were luckily successful in finding information that helped narrow down the suspects and eventually led to their arrests.

The Yakima Sheriff's Office and Benton County Sheriff's Proact Detectives were able to track down and arrest one of the suspects, now identified as Adela Valencia-Mendoza, in Yakima on February 25, 2025. Detectives continued their search for the second individual involved in the robbery and found them a few days later. On February 27, 2025, the second suspect, now identified as Alejandro Fiqueroa Santana, was caught in Wapato.

Both Valencia-Mendoza and Fiqueroa Santana were booked into the Benton County Jail and face charges of first-degree robbery. The department announced the arrest through a press release to local news outlets.